Nonwatinose Lake in Thunder Bay District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Ontario, Nonwatinose Lake belongs to Thunder Bay District. What surrounds it is taiga. Surface area runs to roughly 1.38 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The perimeter runs near 7.5 km, so plan the walk before you start. It is low-lying compared with other Ontario water we list. Nipigon at 36 km is the nearest place to stop. It is 104 km to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Nonwatinose Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Nonwatinose Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 17°C and January about -18°C. Winter runs most of the calendar, and everything worth doing happens in the gap. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On Nonwatinose Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Nonwatin Lake at 3.6 km is the sensible second choice. For Nonwatinose Lake in particular, ask before you travel.